Undergraduate Program
The program of study is designed to prepare well-rounded educators by focusing on three areas of scholarship: General Education, Musicianship Studies and Professional Education.
General Education studies consist of courses such as English, Natural Science, Social Science, Humanities and Mathematics.
Musicianship studies include Applied Lessons, Ensembles, Theory, Conducting and Music History and Literature.
Professional Education studies focus on teaching skills and consist of courses such as methods classes (instrumental, choral, general, etc.), educational psychology, working with and teaching individuals with exceptionalities, and teaching in America. Additional courses are determined by specialization in a content area (instrumental, choral, etc.).
During the freshman and sophomore years, all Music Education majors take a common curriculum. Prior to the beginning of the junior year, each Music Education major will select an area of specialization and take specific courses relating to that specialization (choral, general music, or instrumental music) during the junior and senior years.
Students must participate in an ensemble as assigned (according to performance concentration) during each semester in residence. In addition, all woodwind, brass, string and percussion concentrations must perform for one semester in a choral ensemble as assigned.
Music Education majors must pass the Secondary Piano Music Education Examination and a Teaching/Musicianship Board, which are taken by the end of the sophomore year.
CCM's undergraduate admissions process begins on August 1 for entrance in the following year's fall semester. All application materials must be submitted on or before December 1 to be considered for specific scholarship awards. Visit the CCM Admissions website for additional application instructions.
Music Education - BM
Pre-screening
Applicants must submit the required pre-screening materials via getacceptd.com/ccm on or before December 3 in order to be considered for admissions and invited for an audition.
Pre-screening Requirements
Please review the pre-screening requirements for your specific concentration instrument or area. All Music Education majors must have a concentration instrument/area and are required to submit pre-screening for that instrument/area in order to be considered for admission.
Interview
Applicants audition for concentration status in their applied performance area and are interviewed by music education faculty to determine their admission to this program. Applicants are reviewed by both the applied and the music education faculties. Applicants should refer to their specific instruments for pre-screening requirements.
Double Major: Music Education & Performance - BM
Pre-screening
Applicants must submit the required pre-screening materials via getacceptd.com/ccm on or before December 3 in order to be considered for admissions and invited for an audition.
Please refer to the admission requirements for both music education and your performance instrument. You will be required to complete the pre-screening and audition requirements for your specific instrument to be considered for admission as either a Double Major in Music Education/Performance or a Music Education major.
Do not submit pre-screening for both music education and double major (music education and performance). Select either double major (you will select your performance instrument on the application) OR music education (you will select your concentration instrument on the application).
Audition
Audition Requirements
Please review the audition requirements for your specific instrument. Additionally, all applicants will interview with the Music Education faculty.
A student who is approved by CCM faculty for the major in Performance may complete the requirements in the areas of both Music Education and Performance Study. This program is a composite of both programs of study and may require an additional year of coursework.
For those students interested in jazz studies as part of the Music Education program, there is the option of an "additional specialization in jazz" which is less extensive than a double major in both areas.
The Music Education faculty expects Music Education students to exhibit those characteristics appropriate for effective teaching throughout the program and to make satisfactory progress toward the degree.
The continuous evaluation of student progress throughout the program is made possible by the routine course audit checks and advising system in the Music Education Division. In addition, the progress of all students is reviewed at the completion of the sophomore year by the entire Music Education faculty in order to determine admission to upper-division status.
Undergraduates begin their formal student teaching during the senior year. Students are assigned to a school with a master teacher who supervises and mentors them throughout a complete semester of teaching.
Student teaching, under the guidance of a cooperating teacher and a university supervisor, is the culmination of this program. To be eligible for a student teaching assignment, students must:
- Have removed all unsatisfactory grades from their records (I, U, F, N, etc.).
- Have successfully passed the Secondary Piano Music Education Examination and a Sophomore Teaching and Musicianship Board.
- Have completed all required coursework in the Professional Education and Musicianship areas.
A student will not be recommended for graduation who has, in the opinion of the Music Education faculty, failed to demonstrate acceptable characteristics and competencies. Upon successful completion of the Music Education program, students are eligible for preK-12 music licensure in Ohio and many other states through a reciprocal licensure process.
All music education students with ACT composite scores below 21 or SAT scores below 950 must pass the Praxis I exam. Passing scores for the Praxis I (as specified by the state of Ohio) must be on file in the Music Education Division and CCM College offices prior to admission to upper division status. Students should register to take this test as early as possible after entering CCM.
All Music Education students must complete all Ohio assessments for educators (music and assessment of professional knowledge) required by the music education department during or before the academic year in which they student teach. (It is recommended that students complete approximately three-fourths of their coursework before taking the exam.) OAE scores--as required by the Ohio Department of Education--must be on file before a student will be allowed to student teach.